Western cyclone., 1887-05-05
According to Congressman Scott.

according TO Congressman Scott.
NEW YORK, April 26-The Herald says:
All the talk about President Cleveland's
rumored aversion TO a second term, whether
believed or not by the political world, has
opened up a discussion as to his own ante
election views in regard to second terms
for Presidents. The only public utterance
he has ever made on this subject was in his
letter of acceptance. During the past day or
so the political doctors have been holding a
sort OF autopsy to ascertain the exact scope
of these expressions, and the verdict among
those who are in the front as national lead
ers of the Democracy seems to be that,
while the President is opposed on general
principles to second terms, he has not
in SO many words emphatically
said that he would not take one himself. No
gentleman i'll public life enjoys the confidence
of the President more thoroughly than Con-
gresham William L. Scott of Erie Mr.
Scott, at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, said he did
not believe there was one word of truth in
the report that the President would draw out
of the race if his party called upon him at
the proper time and i'll the proper way to
make it again in 1888. "Oh, yes; that letter
of acceptance" said he. "I know; but you
mustn't force radical construction IN that
| don't consider that it means particle more
than general approval of some such plan to
amend the constitutional view which any
man in the land has right to entertain
But there is not word in that letter-and
Mr.. Cleveland has never said word-that
could be tortured into plain, unequivocal
refusal Of a second term if his party calls
upon him to accept it.
"Now, | can tell you another thing. Be
fore Mr.. Cleveland wrote his letter of accept
ance the policy Of touching On this point of a
second term was mentioned. There was, of
course, no disposition to curb or suppress any
opinions Mr.. Cleveland may have entertained
on this subject, but it was thought advisable
not to go to any radical extremes. There's
no sense, political or common, in a party
leader declining to accept something that has
not been offered him. When the proper time
| comes, if the Democratic party calls on Mr.
Cleveland to take the helm again he can do
so, in my Judgment, without exposing himself
to any charge of inconsistency"
Ex-senator Barnum of Connecticut, long
at the helm of the National Democratic Com
mittee, held the same views as Mr.. Scott.
II don't see anything in that letter of accept
ance that would debar the President from
taking the nomination again"
Senator Vest Tells What He Knows.
w AShlNGION, al GU lie SLdteIIlcuL az
| tributed to ex-GOv. DOrshemer, to the effect
that President Cleveland prepared a letter
formally refusing a second term, fares no
better than the alleged unbosoming on the
part of the President to Senator Vest The
| story is fatty contradicted by the Governor,
and was discredited here even before his de-
NAL was received. Senator Vest, when inter
viewed about it said
Il don't believe the President has ever
written any such letter, or that he ever
thought of writing letter of that kind In
my opinion all that he has ever said upon the
subject of a denomination was, iii substance,
what he said to me, and he said the same to
ex-senator Mcdonald to Morrison, TO Car
| Isle, and to other Democrats This was that
he had no desire whatever for a second term
| that his ambition was TO administer the Gov
ernment in such manner that any Demo
crat could be elected The President is an
honest, conscientious public servant, striving
to do the best that is possible for the whole
country. He is not given to ambitious
schemes. do not believe that he gives any
thought now to the succession. He is toe
busily engaged with present duties for that,
and have no idea that he has ever consid-
cred a letter declaring his position as a pos
sible candidate at all necessary. So far as
his own personal feelings and inclinations 60,
believe he would be glad 10 retire at the end
| OF his term"